CISPA Sponsor Mike Rogers Says Protests Are Mere 'Turbulence' On Landing

from the tmi dept

Tue, Apr 17th 2012 12:18pm — Mike Masnick

It appears that Congress still doesn't get it. Rep. Mike Rogers, the sponsor of the bad CISPA bill that puts your privacy at risk, really doesn't seem particularly concerned about the protests that have been happening online this week. He referred to them as being "like turbulence on the way down to landing" for the bill. He also said that he fully expects the bill to easily pass next week when its brought to the floor.

What really comes through in the article -- which mostly talks about how Rogers has been supposedly working with Google to change some of the language in the bill to make it more acceptable -- is how little concern Rogers has for the public. Instead, most of the article just talks about how he's been working with tech companies to make sure they're okay with the bill. And while that's a start, it's no surprise that lots of tech companies would be okay with CISPA, because it grants them broad immunity if they happen to hand over all sorts of private info to the government.

But to then call the protests mere "turbulence" is pretty damned insulting to the actual people this will impact the most: the public, whose privacy may be violated. While we appreciate Rogers' willingness to amend the bill, it seems clear that there are still major problems with it, and Rogers does not seem to be actually listening to the privacy concerns of the public -- just the various tech companies.

In the meantime, the protests continue, and if Rogers thinks they're mere "turbulence" then it appears that not enough people are speaking out. The folks at Fight for the Future have put together an excellent page to make it easier to speak out, over at CongressTMI.org. At the very least, is it that difficult for Congress to present a real reason why this bill is needed? Bogus stories of planes falling from the sky or evil Chinese hackers really aren't cutting it. Perhaps Congress should talk to some of the experts who note that Congress doesn't understand the tech enough to regulate it properly. As privacy expert Jim Harper notes:

"Congress has no particular capacity or knowledge of how to do cybersecurity," Harper says. "It's not a choice between two different versions in the House and two different versions in the Senate. The question is still open: is Congress capable of doing any good here?"

Unfortunately, in the mad dash to pass these bills (which appear to be much more about who gets to control multi-billion dollar "cybersecurity budgets" than anything else), no one in Congress seems willing to address the basic question of what problem this really solves.

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Filed Under: cispa, congress, cybersecurity, mike rogers, protest, tmi

49 Comments

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Minimum Wage Shill, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:27pm

First!!!

Oh, and Mike, you darn thieving pirate, you don't want the government to pass this bill because you are a freetard and you want to support the terrorists who secretly communicate and you don't want the government stopping them!!!

There, how did I do?
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:30pm

Re: M.W.S. Reply
First (no pun) nobody does the 'first' thing anymore, it's lame.

Second, not bad, not bad at all.

you forgot your '/troll' tag though.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:31pm

The public?
The reason the public isn't invited to these discussions is because they're the criminals...
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Nigel (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:31pm

5/10 You forgot the kiddie porn.

N.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:33pm

The sky is falling, the sky is falling... bawk, bawk...
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Torg (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:35pm

Re:
Yeah, Techdirt's been very inconsiderate about that recently. I keep coming here for kiddie porn, and instead find articles about governmental overreach and new business models. What's the deal?
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:38pm

Re: The public?
Congress (the people you elected to represent you) are charged with representing their constituents, ie the public. Also in the mix are a number of the Google-financed "public interest" groups all making noise.so lease stop suggesting that the public isn't represented in the discussions.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:39pm

Re: Re: The public?
...because congress listens to what people want. That's why so many of these bills keep getting drafted. Yep.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:39pm

The truth
People only exist to service the corporations.
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Minimum Wage Shill, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:42pm

Re:
I beat you!!! Pretty soon, I will have your job.
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:43pm

Re: The truth
If by "service" you mean "involuntary fellatio" then I heartily agree.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:43pm

Re: Re: The public?
stop suggesting that the public isn't represented in the discussions

Exactly, they're as represented and informed as they ever are these days.
Look... over there ... its Roger Clemens! Get him!
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Chris-Mouse (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:46pm

Pilots who ignore 'turbulence on landing' frequently crash and burn.
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lexieliberty (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:52pm

my representative won't reply to my messages!
he's scared of people!
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:52pm

Re: Re: M.W.S. Reply
I think the "There, how did I do?" makes the /troll not needed. In fact i would say it adds to comment as a whole. Helps makes it that more ambiguous.
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Vorpal Sword, 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:56pm

The public isn't represented at all.
Nowadays, the people that are elected to serve in Congress are there because they bought their way there intending to get their grubby paws on more money and more power.

No, this scumbag Congressman doesn't care about the people. If he did, he'd be asking his constituents.
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silverscarcat (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:57pm

This jackass should change his name!
If anyone remembers, it was Mr. Rogers who got Congress to ignore the MPAA about the VCR.

This... THING should NOT share the same name as Mr. Rogers.
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gorehound (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 12:58pm

Re: The public?
Politicians do not serve the Public but they do serve their Corporate Masters.
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A Guy (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:00pm

Uugghhh
Damnit, I was hoping they got the message last time. Well, even if this passes, it is most likely destined to fail in the courts, unless the gov never bring any evidence into court due to "national security" reasons.

(def: national security-we passed an illegal bill or started an illegal program on a flimsy constitutional premise and want to use this coverall to keep our asses out of court so we don't have to stop)

Unless the supreme court completely eviscerates our current understanding of due process, this too shall fail.
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saulgoode (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:03pm

Re:
Especially true if they are too low to effect a recovery before ground contact (and as Larry Lessig points out, congressional approval ratings are currently lower than those of King George at the time of the Revolution).
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:07pm

it's not just Rogers. the majority of politicians and corporate bosses have the same opinion of the public, ie, they are worthless unless buying something, giving something away, being able to be blamed for something (scapegoat) or having something taken away from them. it's like bosses that think little of their workforce until they are in the position of having no workforce at all which leads the bosses to having no job either!
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:09pm

If Cyber Security passes, this is what will happen (using people as an example)
Morning:
Wake up and be searched for any in appropriate dreams. Which includes but is not limited to any copyrighted material.
Have your living area searched for any "Pirated" material. This include anything you fixed made by some one else.
Your breakfast will be searched to make sure you are only eating Government approved food.
Before you leave for the day, your car and your person will be cavity searched.

Day:
During your transportation(Again, only government approved way, fixing something you own is considered piracy)to your destination you will be randomly strip searched "For your safety"
Once you arrive at your destination, you will be cavity searched again.
Any structure you enter or pass through may searched, again "For your safety". You will be help responsible for any violations spotted.
Talking to anyone will be seen as a security breach, which will get you neutralized.

Night:
When you arrive to where you are going, there is another cavity search. Everyone near you will be cavity searched also. Everyone will be fined the same amount of time, regardless of how many (if any) are Pirates, Pirate Associates or may have talked to some one who talked to some one who might be a Pirate.
Your destination will be searched for any violations as decided by a corporation. These will lead to mandatory Jail Time and Fines.
Before you get to bed, once last cavity search and a warning that any actions you take while you are asleep are punishable by law, this includes Dreams, mumbling, and copyrighted sleeping positions.
You will be told all night, "The whole experience is for your protection" and "If you have nothing to hide, what are you worried about?".

As a side note, you must pay for all this security and it is mandatory. Not using it a Federal offense, you will be labeled as a terrorist. You will not be given a lawyer and the government may do what ever it want to do to you with no consequences because "They are protecting the public, from you".
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lexieliberty (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:12pm

Re: Uugghhh
They will never get any messages from the people, ever again. They don't need us to have a functioning "government".
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:14pm

Re:
And in breaking news, a kettle is still a kettle!
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ltlw0lf (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:18pm

Re: This jackass should change his name!
If anyone remembers, it was Mr. Rogers who got Congress to ignore the MPAA about the VCR.

You mean this Mr. Rogers? After what he did to Mr. T, I'd love to see him take on Congress again. I watched him daily as a child growing up.
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terry (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:21pm

"like turbulence on the way down to landing" - Mike Rogers about the protests

I wonder if Marie Antoinette ever said anything similar. Anyway I hope things turn out better for Representative Rogers than they did for her.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:23pm

I don't see how Rogers can get out of bed each morning with all those metric tons of smugness weighing him down.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:34pm

Re: If Cyber Security passes, this is what will happen (using people as an example)
"We had to destroy the public in order to save it..."?
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:37pm

Re:
Marie Antoinette may have said something to the effect of: "What do you mean, they don't have any bread? Can't they just eat cake instead?"

But yeah, if there's an angry mob forming, it's sometimes worth trying to figure out what's making them angry...
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 1:47pm

Having flown a few times, its been my experience that turbulence on landing usually happens when the pilot doesn't know how to land properly.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 2:21pm

Stakeholders
In a true democracy, the elected officials are supposed to represent the public in their meetings with corporate lobbyist. The corporate lobbyist are there to give their views and try to get legislation that is beneficial to them, while the elected official is there to make sure the legislation protects the rights of the public.

When the elected official is there to protect the corporate interests, we don't really have a "government for the people".
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 2:21pm

Bad analogy. Disasters happen when there is turbulence at landing time.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 2:34pm

Re: Re: This jackass should change his name!
"After what he did to Mr. T, I'd love to see him take on Congress again."

I was very excited to follow your link after seeing that sentence. YOU LINK WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 2:35pm

Re: If Cyber Security passes, this is what will happen (using people as an example)
Thats a lot of cavity searches so I must ask, Who searches the searchers?
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ltlw0lf (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 3:05pm

Re: Re: Re: This jackass should change his name!
YOU LINK WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT

Sorry you feel that way. I love Epic Rap Battles, and apparently so do 128,960 other people. What do you want, blood and carnage (the link already was NSFW, but whatever?)
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Digitari, 17 Apr 2012 @ 3:54pm

RE: cavity search
Dammit I was a Moron in a hurry and thought this was all a dental exam

guess I should not have asked for the gas first
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TtfnJohn (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 4:07pm

The only problem this gets to solve is who controls the huge cyber-security budget the results of which won't, really, solve anything.

Except, apparently, find new work for unemployed or underemployed specialists in body cavity searches. Who, given the number of times you will be searched you will be responsible for feeding and housing at your own cost.

Enjoy. It's for your own good and please, please remember the children!
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 4:19pm

Re: Re: The public?
I have written to my rep about this legislation... does that mean he cares about what I have to so? I don't know, I sure hope he does.

Ultimately, I believe that the corporations with the money are the ones that Congress listens to, not "Joe Public"
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 5:03pm

Re:
10/10

Would read again.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2012 @ 7:43pm

Re: Re:
Naw, it's cheaper to gun down the mob and tax the survivors to pay for the bullets.
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 17 Apr 2012 @ 11:29pm

Mr. Rogers, if you want the people to trust this do one thing for us.
Give us full access to your emails, smartphone, land line records, web browser history, etc. The basic full body cavity search you want to digitally perform on every citizen of the country.
If your unwilling or think that is to far, you can now see it from the public's point of view.

While this might prove embarrassing for you, to have people reading your private communications, you need to set the lead on this. Prove all of us 'naysayers' wrong, show us it isn't a complete invasion of privacy and that we should embrace is just like you have.

Unless of course the donations and future job promises are actually enough for you to willingly do this. But then those details would be known by everyone who wanted to look wouldn't they?

You do not know what your doing, you are deaf the the voice of the people who were dumb enough to elect you, your shredding the privacy of millions... and this is the best you can do for the country?

Do us a favor, get caught with a dead hooker and/or a live boy and get run out of office already, its pretty much the only way for you to get out of this and save face.
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Rekrul, 18 Apr 2012 @ 12:37am

Re: Uugghhh
Unless the supreme court completely eviscerates our current understanding of due process, this too shall fail.

Don't count on the Supreme Court to be the voice of reason anymore. They've made it crystal clear that they no longer care about people's rights.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Apr 2012 @ 3:11am

Yep, it's mere turbulence alright...in the sense that a tornado is a "mere turbulence".
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RyanMc (profile), 18 Apr 2012 @ 5:49am

If the bill itself didn't infuriate people enough, this little comment should do nicely to fire some more people up that were on the fence about it.
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Dylan, 18 Apr 2012 @ 8:50am

this is why I'm trying to download as much as possible before the Internet blows up, its absurd how big companies have this much lobbying power in Congress. Its going to turn into Old England here. Top 10% have all the power while the bottom 90 PAY ALL THE DAMN TAXES.
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bshock, 18 Apr 2012 @ 10:15am

rocking the ship of state
I wonder how much "turbulence" would be required to dislodge Rep. Mike Rogers from Congress.

Let's find out, shall we?
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mr magoo, 18 Apr 2012 @ 10:31am

Land of the Free- my ass!!
Hang on... Isn't the US the landof the free??

The last true democratic country which everyone aspires to emulate? The US is going down to hell in a hand basket.. bye bye.
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Diaz, 19 Apr 2012 @ 7:56am

Pitiful just ******* pitiful so there are no censorship bits but they want to engage in high level espionage against the US it seems wow they think they would stealth this past us by not doing the censorship thing they think were that stupid. WRONG we know what you are up to big brother and it won't work. **** you.
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Chargone (profile), 20 Apr 2012 @ 9:28am

Re: Re:
however they got That number...
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